WB -
The Dragon Lake Princess Resort SPA and Country Club has a lot of great amenities. There's a brand new almost completed chapel if you decide to get married. There's a world class golf course - or so they say - that'll cost about as much to play as the Biltmore would in Phoenix during the winter. FedEx has provided our own point-of-contact - Samantha - to help with coordinating transportation into Guangzhou to shop if you want to buy some more Chinese crap that US Customs will confiscate. There's a work-out room (I wouldn't call it a gym) that has a reasonable amount of equipment, and an indoor basketball court and tennis court. You aren't allowed off 'campus' on any kind of distance run (you might be considered an escapee). The pool has been completed and it's gorgeous, but I've NEVER seen anybody out taking in any sun. In fact, I haven't been there when I've been able to get any sun.
You have to keep Guangzhou layovers in perspective. FedEx Express, FDX Corp, didn't establish the domicile there for you and me. In order to expand globally and gain access to the huge Chinese market(s), we needed to be in China. Since a major portion of Chinese factories are either in or near the Guangzhou/Shenzhen area, we picked the biggest sh!t-hole we could find and jumped in.
Really, this isn't quite as bad as a 10 month deployment on an aircraft carrier. As has already been mentioned, Guangzhou isn’t ‘dry’. I would say it's worse than a year unaccompanied in Kunsan, though. If you've got an opportunity to do MIL LEAVE and a short stint in Kandahar, I'd do it. Our crew resource planning department has graciously turned a 3 day hotel standby period into a 5 day layover, so enjoy it.

OH – breakfast is free.

Nakazawa